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THE EVIDENCE OF POSIBILITIES

January Seminar 2004:

 

We had before us a new octave: the Dominicans Group International Seminar, which we always celebrate in January, this year it was dedicated to deepen our understanding of the Four Prophets (Muhammad, Buda, Lama, and Jesus), and the Sacred Impulses (Hope, Acceptance, Faith, and Love) and their practice. The participants also presented information of the four holy cities: Jerusalem, Mecca, Lassa and Benares.

Around 66 people met during 10 days to share a common view. The daily  program was more than 15 hours: from 7: am till 10:00 pm. The daily activities were: morning exercise, breakfast, themes, movements, practical work, Zikr practice, lunch, small groups, Four Prophets groups, Zikr, presentation of topics, dinner, etc. Two month before the seminar, we began to distill, drop by drop, the taste of what was to come. And what was to come was evidence of the great possibilities that are produced with group work: more energy, more knowledge, and more intelligence. Afterwards more Love, more Faith, more Hope, and more Acceptance. -The absolute certainty, that we have a mission to accomplish and a debt to pay. And that we are not alone.

 

Some of the Seminar participants wanted to share their experiences.

 

Below, some extracts of their writings:   

 

 

“When the extraordinary becomes normal and the unexpected is continually occurring (even though we are not expecting it), a higher plane of breath and motion is achieved by everyone simultaneously. To operate on this level twenty-four hours a day for nine days (and beyond) is wondrous and strange yet completely agreeable and fitting at the same time. This is where we are meant to be. This is where our true home begins. I watch as everyone of us reaches this place and dwells here in a kind of perfect ease and real joy. The ones who are departing earlier than the full nine days must tear themselves away with an act of sheer will. Our personal understandings of HOPE, ACCEPTANCE, BELIEF, LOVE AND HIM begin to crack open and reveal themselves for what they truly are. For what they actually are in Reality. Our Beings fine-tuning themselves to this frequency, this vibration of connection with each other and HIM, THE BELOVED. As we become HOPE and HOPE becomes us, as we travel through ACCEPTACE and BELIEF to approach this LOVE; this LOVE that we only begin to taste yet soothes us to a very core that did not even know we had. We become LOVED. And effortlessly pass it on”.

 

From: J.

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This seminar seemed to provide doorways and openings into the world of the miraculous.  The means were provided and one could see, more clearly than in ordinary life, this is what I need to do.  It was a very intense seminar; the fire was turned on very hot.   The fire was there to burn remnants of false personality if one wished to offer up into the flames; and then what remained was the possibility of being oneself, and as oneself feeling the deep connection. 
The small group on negativity helped provide grounding.  We were asked to focus early in the week on specific questions:  1. What is my negativity feeding?   2.  What impact does my negativity have on myself and on others?   One could get very close to it during the week.  My negativity usually manifests in typical, recognizable forms; it has a personality and a taste.   And the task is not to avoid it, but to look at it as the tool that is given me to work on myself.   As much as I would prefer to just go past it,  or work on someone elses's negativity (!),  this, this is what I need to see,  to accept in to myself,  and then perhaps, if I am vigilant and have help, to realize I have a choice whether to go there or not. 

 

From: N.

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Four sent from above, with four distinct sacred impulses, living and breathing into four different great cities …

…Not much can be said of the experience of brothers and sisters in the Work who ventured together, defying space and time, to discover the kingdoms within and above, warm places with cool living water which we were able to share during the days of seminar in embraces, smiles, meals, open eyes and real contact, more real than anything we ordinarily live, places of flaming solar plexuses and beating, breathing hearts, for weary and lost seekers who continually risk everything that seems dear to attempt to touch upon the sublime with some success, thank God…

 

From: V.

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 “My experience of being in Belcutassi Movements Group: Some classes where for most part just plain struggle for most of the group while others where filled with satisfaction, accomplishments.  The force, unity and group work was very present keeping the effort alive and strong (especially in some of the intricacies of the foot patterns for me). In the fasting day the energy seemed somehow less focused, Jose kindly made it easier, I appreciate his ability to balance the "difficult" and the "possible" in the classes. Some times I observed myself smiling, enjoying the challenge that each class presented. The final result, "The Four Prophets" Movement Presentation , it was an experience outside time and space, I felt as if we were pulsating together in eternity”.

 

From: A.  

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“I think of that energy that must go into a wish, strong enough to create that which it longs for. I can see that it wasn’t me. That it took so much more than that. It took all of us to want the experience of “love” so strongly that we made it become a reality. It asked what it needed from us and we chose whether to keep it for ourselves or give it away. Only one of these is truly rewarding. Even though it may have been brief we all felt that ‘something” and shared it with one another because the pain of giving wasn’t that great and far less than the love that filled us.  There is something here, among us, above all earthly things that feeds us and allows us to grow in experience. I am filled with gratitude because of this”. 

 

From: S.

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“During and after the seminar I have heard descriptions of the experiences, both grand and miniscule, of the participants. Folks talk of feeling closer to God, feeling closer to each other, feeling closer to themselves. Sometimes the experiences talked about the sense of unity felt among us, the participants; sometimes it had to do with having a better understanding of things previously not understood at all. Yet, for me the seminar was an experience that is best left undefined; best left to the experience itself and not to the expression of what that experience was or was not. For me it would be an error to make a before and after comparison of my seminar experience, or for that matter to try to compare the seminar experience to anything. I’d rather simply continue with the profound sense that the experience left me surer than ever that I’m moving in the right direction”.

 

From: K.

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“The seminar has been a trip to the deepest part of my being, where the emotions and sensations experienced were so familiar that it’s impossible to believe that I had forgotten them. To realize that I’m not alone has given me the greatest happiness of my life and has made me understand why every moment I must ask for forgiveness”.

 

From: T.

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“In my case I can only say there was magic. We came out of the Seminar with a debt with the source of the real Work for the gift that was given to us for nothing in return.

All the observations were like a mirror to see one another with the same difficulties; no matter the level of understanding of each individual.

I felt in the movements how we received the force of the group. No matter the difficulty of the movement that we had before us: we must try to do it as if it were the last thing we were to do before death; we must fight and make demands on ourselves and try to add parts, perfect gestures and give grace to the body.

This seminar has left a print, with the intention that it will serve us to arrive at Lent with more quality, without caring for the difficulties that are forth coming”.

 

From: E.

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